Improvement in machines for making friction-matches



W'. GATES, Jr. & H. JL'HAR WOOD. MACHINE FOR, MANUFACTURING FRIGTION MATCHES.

No. 10,737, Patented Apr; 4, 1854.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, o. a

tool for cutting-the match-sticks.

UNITE STATE PATENT; OFFIC WII.LI-A1\I GA'1ES, JR., or FRANKFOR'ILAND-I-L-J. HARWOOD, or UTICA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENHN MACHINES FOR IVlAKlNG FRICTION-MATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 10,737, dated April 4, 1854.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that we, \VILLIAM, GATES, J r.,

of Frankfort, in the county of I-Ierkimer and of OneidaandState'of.

description of they erence beiugmade to the accompanying drawings, making awhich Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of our improved machine. Fig. 2 is an in verted plan or an under view of the cutting- Fig. 3 isa part of this specification, in

descriptive View showing the manner in which the cutting-tool acts upon the blockand cuts the match-sticks therefrom. Fig. 4 is a. plan or top View. of a section of the endless chain of clamps. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the machine, side view, showing the manner in which the match-sticks are placed between or top view, showing the manner in which theclamps of the endless chain are forced apart 1n order'tofreceive the 'matchsticks.

- Fig. 7 is anenlarged seetionof the machine,

plan or top View, showing the manner in which the cutting-tool is shifted, so as to act properly upon the block. 4

Similarletters of I referenceindicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures.

This invention relates to a new and improved machine for manufacturingfrictionmatches; and it consists, first, in having an endless chain formed of a series of clamps, conthe clamps forming the endless chain. Fig. 1 6 -1s an enlarged section of the machine, plan manner of operating the clamps of the endless chaimso that they may receive the matchsticks from the cutting-tool.

v To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe the construction and-operation.

A, Fig.1, represents an endless chain formed of a series of clamps. This 'chain passes around four toothed wheels to a (t a, underneath three small pulleys b c c, and over a smallpulleyor roller (1. Said toothed wheels and pulleys are placed or hung in a suitable. frame B, as shown in Fig. 1.

.The clamps of which the endless chain is formed are designated by the letter e and are shown in the enlarged sections 4,5,jand 6. The clamps are formed of wooden slabs f g, which are placed between stops h on wires C 0, one of which passes through each end of the slabs, as seen in Fig. Each pair of slabs f g is acted upon by a spring '6, the back of which bearsagainst the slab g, the outer ends of the spring bearing against two stops h. The face sides of the slabs f g are provided with felt or cloth' coverings j. The wires 0 C connect the several clamps e together and form an endless chain. The slabs .g of the several clamps are not placed quite so high as theother slabs f,-and consequently spaces 70' (seen in Fig. 5) are left between the slabs g, in which the teeth of the wheels a. catch.

D in Figs. 2 and 5 is-the cutting-tool, which is formed of aseries of circular cutters Z, connected by semicircular cutters m. (Seethe inverted plan in Fig. 2. The cutting-toolD cuts the match sticks from the block in the direction ofthe grain of the wood. Both series of cutters are secured to a proper stock E, and the stock works on proper guide-rods n n on the frame'B. The position of the cutting-tool in the frame is shown in 'Figs. 1, 5, and 7. One of the guide-rods n is shown in Fig.5, and the tops of both are shown in Fig. 7. The circular cutters Zonly cut the matchsticks from the block entire, as will be hereinafter shown. The cutting-tool has a vertical reciprocating motion communicated to it by means of a crank 12 and connecting-rod 'r.

1 (Seen'in Fig. 1.)

f F in'Fig. 7 is a cam, by which the positio .of the outing-tool is shifted at every stroke.

This cam' Favorks or rotates between pins s s on a bar G, which isconnected t-othe cutterstock E. I

II in Fig, 6 is a--wedge attached to. a bar I, which has a lateral motion communicated to it by means of a cam J which works between piks it on an arm a of the bar I. The wedge'bythe operation 'of the camJ: is forced at the proper time between the clamps and separates or opens them to receive th'e'matclrsticks.

The bar I also has alongitudinal motion communicated to it by a cam WV, in Q1- der that the wedge 11 may move while in the clamp in a. direction with the chain. The cam' lVis on the same'shaft as acam N, which operates a hammer M, hereinafter described.

The endless chain A, formed of the clamps e, .is placed around the four toothed wheels a I a. a a, as shown in Fig. 1, it being recollected that the teeth of the wheels a catch into the spaces 75 between the slabs, as previously stated.

The properfeed motion is communicated" to the chain A bymeans of bands 1, 1;, which pass around pulleys u: w on the shafts of the two upper toothed wheels a, said bands-also passing around pulleys or a drum 9: on a small shaft y, which may receive motion from 'a' vertical rod 2, connected by bevel-gearing l with the rod of the crank 12. The bands '0 r and pulleys w *w are shown in red color in Fig. 1, and the vertical rod and the bevelgearing 1 are indicated bydotted lines in the same figure. I

K in Figs. 1-, 3, 5, and 7 is the block from which the match-sticks are out. Thisblock is placed upon-.'an endless apron L, directly in front of the cutting-tool D and betweenthe rollers 4 4, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5. The

feed motion is given to the apron Lbymeans of a pawl 2 and ratchet 3, motion being corn municated to the pawl in any proper manner.

Operation: As the crank p is turned a vertical reciprocating motionris given to the cutting-tool D, which as it passes down upon the edge of the block- K cuts it in the form shown in Fig. 3, the circular cutters Z cutting entire match-sticks from the block and forming the concave portions 5 and theisemicircular cutters-m forming the convex portions 6. At

the next-stroke of the cutting-tool it is. shifted or moved laterally by the cam F, so that the circular cutters Z will cut out the, remaining half-circle of the convex portions 6, which were formed at'the previouss'troke. The fol-.

lowing or third stroke is the same as the first,

, the cuttersl cutting'out' entire match-sticks every alternate stroke, and in theintermediate strokes finishing or cutting out in,- match-sticks the convex portions 6, formed by the semicircular cutters m during the preceding orfir'st stroke. The match-sticks are retained in the cutters Z during the upward movement of the cutting-tool, and as the said tool passes upward the match-sticks enter, between the clamp, which is directly over the cutting-tool, the said clamp being forced open by the wedge H, which is operated at the proper time? by the cam Jyas sl1ow1iin'Fig.6.

"In Fig. 5 the match-sticks (designated by a figure 7) are shown between one of the clamps, the cutting-tool D beingin the act of descendin g. As the cuttin g-tool descends, the wedge It is withdrawn by the cam J and the matchf' sticks are secured in the clamp, the spring 1.

operated by cam N and spiral spring 0,1le-

scends at proper intervals upon the-tops of the match-sticks and forces downward thetops of any match-sticks that may be elevated above the top surface of the clamps. By this operation the lower ends of the match-sticks will be on a perfect level, and all will be perfectly dipped and covered with the sulphur and igniting compound.

The sulphur is placed in a basin or reservoir P and the igniting compound in a semicircular basin R, and under both of these basins a flu'e S runs, which is connected with a furnace T. (See Fig. l.)

The endless chain, as it moves over the furnace and fine, warms the lower ends of the I matches, and the pulleys c c depress the chain and dip the ends of the matches into the basin P containing the sulphur, and the chain,still' passing along the roller or pulley (Z, covers the ends of the match-sticks with the igniting compound in the semicircular basin R. The

chain then passes around the twq lower toothed wheels till. the matches reach the hammer U, which is constructed precisely similar to the hammer M. The hammer U forces the matches frorhbetween the-clamps and they fall through a spoutV into aproper receptacle beneath.

By constructing the cutt ing-tool D as described the match-sti'cks are placed in the clamps at requisite distances apart; so that they will not be cemented tog'ether'when dipped-orwhe'n their ends are covered with the sulphur and igniting compound.

The endless chain of clamps performs its work admirably in practice, and matches are perfectly made direct from the block, re qniring no subsequent manipulation whatever, except that of boxing them up in the usual quantities for sale.

I'Iaving thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is- I 1. The employment or use of the endless chain A, formed of'a series of clamps 6, constru'cted and arranged substantially as herein shown, for the purpose of receiving the match,-

sticks from the cutting-tool and conveying them tothe sulphur and igniting compounds with which their lower ends are covered, as shown and described in the body of the specification.

2. The peculiar form of the cutting-tool D, as herein shown and described-via, said tool being formed of a series of circular cutters Z, connected by semicircular cutters m, bywhich form the match-sticks are placedin the clamps of the chain A at a sulficient distance apart to prevent their lower ends from being cementedtogether when immersed in the sulphur and covered with the igniting compound, said tool also, by being constructed as described, cutting the match-sticks smoothly and easily from the block.

3. Opening or parting the clamps e of the chain A at the proper time or when each clamp is directly over the cutting-tool D by means of the wedge I'I, operated by the cam J or its equivalent, for the purpose of allowing the match-sticks to enter the clamps as the cutting-tool ascends to the top of the block, as herein shown and described.

WM. GATES, JR.' v H. J. HARWOOD. lVitnesses:

Gno. B. JUDD, WILLIAM DYGERT. 

